Russellville Mayor Bill Eaton told The Courier Tuesday that late this summer a special election will be called to renew a 1-cent sales tax that the city plans to use for a number of projects in the coming six years.

Eaton said this is a renewal of the existing 1-cent sales tax that has been used for such projects in the past six years for street and drainage projects, economic development, a possible convention center, to renovate city hall and for parks and recreation. The old 1-cent sales tax expires at the end of this year.

If approved by voters, the new 1-cent sales tax will be used for streets and drainage, parks and recreation, renovations and improvements to the central fire station, and projects like adding lighting and signage along Interstate I-40 around Russellville.

Eaton said this 1-cent new sale tax, if approved, would begin to be collected at the beginning of 2014 after the old 1-cent sales tax expires at the end of 2013.

The mayor said anyone who wants to see the city prosper, or people who benefit from the projects that are funded by the old 1-cent sales tax, should be supporters of the effort to approve the new 1-cent sales tax.

Eaton said that without the 1-cent sales tax, the city’s ability to do projects like the necessary street and drainage work will be adversely affected.